Photographic camera system

Abstract

A photographic camera system includes a photographic camera that can successively expose a photographic film in different frame sizes and an automatic printer for automatically printing the processed photographic film exposed with those different frame sizes. The camera varies the width of an exposure opening in the camera body in the film-feed direction and the film is fed a length corresponding to the width of the exposure opening. The photographic camera records an exposure opening position signal indicative of the size of the exposure opening on the photographic film, and the automatic printer automatically prints the photographic film using the exposure opening position signal detected from the photographic film.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A photographic system comprising: a photographic camera, including a camera body,   a first housing disposed in the camera body for housing photographic film in a photographic film cartridge,   a second housing disposed in the camera body for housing the photographic film drawn from the photographic film cartridge,   film drive means disposed in the camera body for driving the photographic film between the first and second housings,   exposure means for exposing an image of a subject onto a portion of an effective area of the photographic film located at an exposure opening between the first and second housings,   selector switch means for enabling a user to select one of a plurality of aspect ratios for a print picture,   sensor means for detecting a hole formed along a first outer longitudinal edge portion of the photographic film and generating a film position detecting signal based upon the detected hole, the first outer longitudinal edge portion having film information pre-recorded thereon,   control means disposed in the camera body including a micro-computer electrically connected to the selector switch means for receiving a selection signal from the selector switch means and determining a position of an exposure area of the photographic film available to record the image, and   recording means disposed in the camera body and responsive to the micro-computer for recording at least an aspect signal generated based upon the selection signal, the aspect signal recorded on a second outer longitudinal edge portion of the photographic film for indicating an aspect of the photographic film to be printed on photosensitive print paper; and     a photographic film printer for printing on the photosensitive paper processed photographic film recorded using the photographic camera, including a printer body,   a light source and variable width mask for exposing the photosensitive print paper,   film feeding means for feeding the photographic film,   detecting means disposed on the printer body for non-mechanically detecting the aspect signal recorded between the edge of photographic film and the effective exposure area of the photographic film by the photographic camera,   processed photographic film drive control means disposed on the printer body for controlling driving of the photographic film,   logic circuit means for determining if the aspect signal corresponds to a first aspect format or a second aspect format and for determining whether the detected aspect signal is correct based on film feed information from the film feeding means, and   printing means disposed on the printer body for varying an opening width of the variable width mask used to expose the image of the subject in the exposure area of the photographic film onto the photosensitive print paper based on the format determined by the logic circuit means.     
     
     
       2. A photographic camera comprising: a first housing for housing a photographic film cartridge containing a photographic film strip;   a second housing for housing the photographic film strip drawn from the cartridge;   film feed means for feeding the photographic film between the first and second housings;   exposure means for exposing a portion of the effective exposure area of the photographic film, present in an exposure opening between the first and second housings, to an image of a subject;   selector switch means for enabling a user to select one of a set of aspect ratios for a print picture;   sensor means for detecting a hole formed along a first outer longitudinal edge portion of the photographic film and generating a film position detecting signal based upon said detected hole, the first outer longitudinal edge portion having film information pre-recorded thereon;   control means including a micro-computer electrically connected to the selector switch means for receiving a selection signal from the selector switch means and determining a position of an exposure area of the photographic film available to record the image; and   recording means responsive to the micro-computer for recording at least an aspect signal generated based upon the selection signal, the aspect signal recorded on a second outer longitudinal edge portion of the photographic film for indicating an aspect of the photographic film to be printed on photosensitive print paper.   
     
     
       3. A photographic camera comprising: a first housing for housing a photographic film cartridge containing a photographic film strip;   a second housing for housing a photographic film strip drawn from the cartridge;   film feed means for feeding the photographic film between the first and second housings;   exposure means for exposing an image of a subject onto a portion of an effective exposure area of the photographic film located at an exposure opening between the first and second housings,   selector switch means for enabling a user to select one of a plurality of aspect ratios for a print picture;   sensor means for detecting a hole formed along a first outer longitudinal edge portion of the photographic film and generating a film position detecting signal based upon the detected hole, the first outer longitudinal edge portion having film information pre-recorded thereon;   control means including a micro-computer electrically connected to the selector switch means for receiving a selection signal from the selector switch means, the control means being electrically connected to the sensor means for receiving the film position detecting signal and determining a position of an exposure area of the photographic film available to record the image; and   recording means responsive to the micro-computer for recording at least an aspect signal, the aspect signal generated based upon the selection signal and recorded on a second outer longitudinal edge portion of the photographic film for indicating an aspect of the photographic film to be printed on photosensitive print paper,   wherein the photographic film strip is devoid of any sprocket holes.   
     
     
       4. A photographic camera according to claim 3, wherein the recording means further includes means for producing an exposure condition signal. 
     
     
       5. A photographic camera according to claim 3, wherein the recording means further includes means for producing input information input by a user using an input device and for recording the input information in a marginal area of the photographic film strip that is devoid of any sprocket holes.